SWOOTs: Nigeria’s trillion-naira stocks that have gained over 20% this year

Deprecated: mb_convert_encoding(): Handling HTML entities via mbstring is deprecated; use htmlspecialchars, htmlentities, or mb_encode_numericentity/mb_decode_numericentity instead in /var/www/nairametrics/wp-content/themes/nairametrics/functions.php on line 104

Six Nigerian stocks, each valued at over one trillion naira, have surged more than 20% so far in 2025, delivering strong price performances that have played a crucial role in keeping the All-Share Index (ASI) in positive territory.

These companies are part of the SWOOTs, a group of Nigerian Exchange-listed firms with market capitalizations exceeding one trillion naira that wield significant influence on the All-Share Index, depending on market trends and their size.

In 2025 so far, the All-Share Index has posted a year-to-date performance of 6.08%, closing at 109,183.93 index points as of market close on the 22nd of May 2025.

Despite a decline that began in mid-February, during which the index shed over 5,300 points to reach a low of 103,851.88 in April, positive price action in mid- and large-cap stocks (many of which are SWOOTs) helped lift the index back above the 109,000-mark.

This piece examines the SWOOTs on the Nigerian Exchange that have gained more than 20% so far this year.

Here are the SWOOTs that have gained over 20% so far in 2025 on the Nigerian stock market:

---

Guaranty Trust Holding (21.05%)

Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc occupies the sixth position with a year-to-date performance of 21.05% in 2025, and a market cap of N2.3 trillion.

The company’s shares began the year trading at N57.00, kicking off January solidly in the green. Since then, the stock has climbed steadily, reaching N69.00 as of the close of trading on May 22, 2025.

A major catalyst came on March 28, following the release of the company’s FY 2024 audited financials, in which it reported a pre-tax profit of N1.26 trillion, representing a 107.82% year-on-year increase. The stock surged by 7% that day, making March its best-performing month so far.

• In Q1 2025, the company continued its impressive run, reporting a pre-tax profit of N509.3 billion, nearly six times what it posted in the same quarter last year.

---

Transcorp Hotels (32.59%)

Transcorp Hotels Plc ranks fifth on the list, with a year-to-date performance of 32.59% as of the trading day on May 22, 2025, and a current market cap of N1.5 trillion.

The stock opened the year at N116.00 but dipped slightly to N114.65 by the end of January. However, it rebounded in February, trading at a volume of 1.3 million shares and closing the month at N126.10.

The momentum continued through March and April, with the share price climbing steadily to N145.00 by the end of April. As of May 22, 2025, Transcorp Hotels is priced at N153.80.

The company’s bullish run, which began in February, may have been driven by the release of its FY 2024 financial results, where it reported a pre-tax profit of N22.6 billion, up 138.48% year-on-year.

• In Q1 2025, pre-tax profit saw a slight increase to N6.1 billion, compared to N6.08 billion in Q1 2024. Meanwhile, revenue surged by 51.88%, reaching N21 billion—a strong indicator of continued operational growth.

---

MTN Nigeria (37.50%)

MTN Nigeria holds the fourth spot with a year-to-date performance of 37.50% as of market close on May 22, 2025, and a market cap of N5.7 trillion.

The company’s shares opened the year at N200.00, riding a high trading volume of 46 million shares to close at N250.00. February also ended in the green, albeit with reduced momentum and volume.

In March, the stock saw a slight pullback to N245.00 but quickly rebounded, reaching N270.00 in early May.

• MTN reported strong revenue growth in Q1 2025, generating N1 trillion, a 40.5% increase from the N752.9 billion reported in Q1 2024. This surge was largely driven by a tariff increase implemented in mid-February.
• According to its Q1 2025 unaudited financial results, the company bounced back to profitability, posting a profit after tax of N133.7 billion, compared to a loss of N392.7 billion in Q1 2024.

---

International Breweries (57%)

International Breweries Plc ranks third with an impressive year-to-date performance of 67.57% as of market close on May 22, 2025, with an equity cap of N2.4 trillion.

The stock opened the year at N5.55, trading on a solid volume of 63.1 million shares. It remained relatively flat through Q1, slipping slightly to N5.10 by the end of March—but still holding firmly above the N5.00 threshold.

Momentum picked up significantly in Q2 after the company posted a strong comeback in its Q1 2025 results.

• It reported a pre-tax profit of N35.06 billion, a remarkable turnaround from a loss of N89.3 billion in Q1 2024.

• The rebound was driven primarily by a 68.2% surge in revenue, which reached N173.6 billion, alongside a sharp drop in foreign exchange losses, from N80.5 billion in Q1 2024 to just N581.4 million in Q1 2025.

Following the earnings release, the stock gained momentum, closing both March and April strongly in the green and breaking through the N9.00 mark in early May.

---

Nigerian Breweries (77.81%)

Nigerian Breweries Plc holds the second spot with an impressive year-to-date performance of 77.81% as of market close on May 22, 2025, and a current market cap of N2.7 trillion.

The stock began the year priced at N32.00, supported by a robust trading volume of 205.7 million shares, and ended January positively.

While February and March also closed in the green, bullish momentum accelerated in mid-April following the release of the company’s Q1 2025 financial results.

• Nigerian Breweries reported a profit of N69.9 billion, a strong rebound from a loss of N65.5 billion in the same quarter of 2024. This performance was driven by a 68.91% increase in net revenue, which soared to N383.6 billion.

Since then, the stock has posted three consecutive weeks of gains, breaking through the N50.00 resistance level in early May 2025.

---

Nestlé Nigeria (81.77%) 

Nestlé Nigeria Plc currently holds the top spot with an impressive year-to-date performance of 81.77% as of market close on May 22, 2025, bringing its market capitalization to N1.2 trillion.

Since the beginning of the year, the stock has consistently closed each month in the green, reaching a milestone of N1,000 per share in March.

Starting in January at N875 per share, the stock traded a volume of 3.2 million shares, closing the month at N975.

However, the majority of the year-to-date surge is likely due to a strong performance in May 2025, following the release of the company’s Q1 2025 results.

• The company reported a pre-tax profit of N51.15 billion, marking a strong recovery from the N196.08 billion loss recorded in the same period last year. Additionally, revenues surged by 60.71%, reaching N294.8 billion.

In just May 2025, shares of Nestlé Nigeria have surged by 43.59% month-to-date, propelling the company’s year-to-date performance to an impressive 81.77%.